1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in an apparatus and method for aerating a ground surface and/or injecting material into a ground surface, and more particularly, to an improved apparatus and method for mixing a particulate matter with a driving liquid close to a point of injection into a ground surface or otherwise aerating a ground surface with a combination of air and a driving liquid.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
It is periodically necessary to introduce plant foods or additives which assist in plant growth in many agricultural operations. This is particularly true in the case of fruit trees wherein a periodic introduction of a solid particulate matter, often known as "polymer", is introduced into the ground surface in proximity to or adjacent to the roots of the plant. Furthermore, it is oftentimes necessary to aerate the ground area at or adjacent to growing plants.
One of the conventional and widely used methods of perforating a ground surface for purposes of aerating the same is to manually punch holes into a ground surface with a large pole or similar implement. When it is desired to introduce a particulate matter such as a polymer or plant food into a ground surface, the same technique is employed, namely holes are manually punched into the ground at the area in which it is desired to introduce the plant food or additive. Thereafter, the addition of plant food is then manually introduced into the holes.
Since this prior art process of perforating the ground is inherently slow, several laborers are required to literally perform this rather arduous work. Not only is this process quite slow, but as a result, but is also carries the attendant very high labor costs. Notwithstanding the slowness and the high cost associated with the prior art technique of introducing particulate matter into a ground surface, the technique of punching holes with a sharp implement such as a pointed pole, can easily damage the root system of the very plant to which the additive or plant food is being added. Since the personnel have no way of knowing where the roots of the plant might lie under the ground surface, they inevitably damage one or more of the roots of an existing plant and which can sometimes result in the death of or serious injury to that plant. Moreover, the punching of holes in the ground surface also ruins the existing ground cover or grass on the surface.
There are several commercially available sandblasting machines which drive sand and water under high pressure at an existing surface for purposes of removing a portion of that surface. In the case of the sandblasting machine, water is introduced into a high pressure chamber and then directed toward an existing surface. Air is used to move sand into contact with the water by literally forcing a movement of surface sand particles. The machine may also use a venturi effect in order to suck in sand from the supply source and to thoroughly mix the water with the sand.
In a conventional and blasting operation, the water serves as part of the blasting agent along with the sand. In other words, the Water and the sand combine to provide the abrasive agents which causes removal of a portion of a surface by wearing away the same. Furthermore, there is no problem of agglomeration of the water with the sand and which problems of agglomeration often exist with other materials.